Humor

W. Kamau Bell Returns to Stage Werx This Weekend

Odds are, if you pay even the slightest attention to San Francisco's comedy scene, you already know who W. Kamau Bell is.  You know, the wickedly funny comedian who called the Bay Area his home for 15+ years.  But like so many other of SF's brightest stars, New York City, with its promises of a late-night show on FX produced by Chris Rock and other such worldly temptations, lured him away.

Fortunately for us, he's coming back to town before filming the third season of Totally Biased, taking over Stage Werx on 16th and Valencia this Saturday and Sunday for two appropriately late-night stand-up sets

The show is cheap ($15, or $25 if you want to pay for some sort of “VIP” treatment), miraculously not yet sold out, and it's in the Mission (which appeals to our cat-like tendencies).  Not bad for a guy critics (read: other bloggers) are likening to Dave Chappelle.

Anyway, if you haven't seen the show yet, there's a bunch of other clips on YouTube you can dig through, including this gem on racist advertising, interviewing stop & frisk victims, and his take on the Harlem Shake, which I won't link to because aaarrrrggghhhh.  Or just watch this bit below:

[Eventbrite]

Big Things Coming to The Cynic Cave

Food usually garners the most press in the Mission, so people tend to overlook the fact there's been a serious comedy renaissance going on around here.  Endgames Improv moved their weekly shows and classes to the neighborhood last fall, Comedy Bodega just hit the one year mark at Esta Noche, and the neighborhood now has it's own festival—never mind staples like The Business and Killing My Lobster, the monthly Funny Shits showcase at Rite Spot, Paco Romane's monthy at Make-Out Room, and whole host of other one-offs and special events.

So it makes sense that we're starting to see a mess of out-of-town talent swing through the neighborhood.  And next weekend's line-up of guests at The Cynic Cave—the 7-month-old weekly show hosted by Kevin O'Shea and George Chen in Lost Weekend's basement—is notably killer:

The Cynic Cave is proud to bring the Dan Mintz to the Cave. An up-and-coming one-liner comedian with a deadpan style, made famous as the breakout voice of Tina on the show Bob's Burgers. On Sunday, we're bringing the cult legend comedian Ron Lynch to the Cave in his first San Francisco performance in more than five years!

Unfortunately, I'll be out of town for a wedding-type thing and will have to miss it.  But if you're not out of town and don't have to miss it, might I recommend locking down your tickets now by either walking over to Lost Weekend Video or calling them at 415-643-3373?

Celebrate Uptown Almanac's 3rd Birthday By Drinking Hella Pabst and Laughing at Jokes!

Argh, we're turning 3 this week.  Three big years.  In blog years, that's practically 21, so we're about to enter a dark period of semi-functional alcoholism, self-loathing, (further) unemployment, multiple unfulfilling relationships that begin with “sup” texts, and a few career changes.

Yay!

Typically blog birthdays go by without notice (because recognizing blog birthdays is the worst).  But, we love comedy.  And we definitely love drinking beer.  So why not celebrate by taking over the Roxie with some of our favorite comics and too many cans of PBR to count?

Here's the deal: this Thursday (the 17th!) at 9pm, we'll be throwing another one of our locally-sourced pop-up comedy nights.  And to make this one blog birthdayrific (aarrgghh), we're bringing back some of our very favorite comics from past shows (with some fresh blood for good measure).  Check the line-up:

  • Alex Koll (UA's 1st show, Comedy Central's “Live At Gotham”, Bridgetown Comedy Festival, SF SketchFest, Host of “ROFL” on Revision3)
  • Kevin Camia (UA's 2nd show, Comedy Central's “Live At Gotham”, voted “Best Up and Coming Comic” at Rooftop Aspen Comedy Festival)
  • Kevin O'Shea (UA's 2nd show, SF SketchFest, Bridgetown Comedy Festival)
  • Anna Seregina (SXSW, SF SketchFest, SF Comedy & Burrito Fest)
  • Jules Posner (UA's 3rd show, Jokes.com’s No Drink Minimum, SF SketchFest)
  • Colleen Watson (5 Funny Females tour, SF Punchline)

And Sean Keane will be hosting!

You can get your tickets online now (or wait and get 'em at the door).  As always, the show is $7 and bottomless PBR is included in the ticket price.  See you Thursday!

[Facebook (complete with further performer bios)]

A Very Uptown Almanac Locally-Sourced Pop-Up Holiday Comedy Special [Feat. Drennon Davis!]

It's that time of year again: the days are getting shorter, the night are cooler, it's snowing somewhere, and everyone gathers around the warm neon glow of their favorite non-profit theater to commence drinking their way through to spring.  So, naturally, we've gotten back with Pabst and The Roxie to throw a Christmas-Seanukkah-holiday clusterfuck of cheap comedy and free beer.  Oh yes.

For $7, you'll get killer and festive stand-up from seven of the Bay's best comics (plus Drennon Davis coming back in town from LA!), all the free PBR you can reasonably drink, Joey Devine in a dreidel costume, and prizes from Santa's stocking (including mouth wash and chocolate!).  What's more? Thanks to an exceptionally generous holiday donation from Pabst, all seven bucks will be donated directly to The Roxie's fundraiser to bring us even more original programming in the years to come, so you'll want to be there.

Here's what you need to know:

Here's who'll be making you laugh:

And Sean Keane (member of The Business, past contributor to McSweeney's and ESPN the Magazine, columnist for the East Bay Express) is back to host!

So, if you haven't already, get yer tickets now.

[Facebook]

SFC Podcast EP01: Finally, Comedy Pays Off...

San Francisco is a city of storytellers.  From our countless bloggers, novelists, videographers, journalists, comedians, musicians, photographers, poets, the crazy dudes on the corner, and everything in between, we've explored how to share our insights and experiences.  However, the rise of the podcast has seemed to have left San Francisco behind.  Despite all the brilliant programs dedicated to storytelling, there's no definitive podcast devoted to the Bay. Make no mistake: this isn't intended to be the definitive podcast, but, rather, a step in exploring the medium.

First up is Cameron Vannini, a young stand-up comedian who finds an oasis after wandering the dessert in search of physical satisfaction.

If you have a story you'd like to tell, be it funny, sad, hopeful, poetry, or just plain crude, drop us a line at sfcpod@gmail.com.  And, without further ado, I give you the first episode of the SFC Podcast: Stories From the City.

 

You can now subscribe to the SFC Podcast here: SFC Podcast on iTunes

Show Credits

  • Producer: Daniel Jarvis
  • Story: Cameron Vannini
  • Voice: Michelle Teslik
  • Intro Sequence: Jon Bates

John Waters on the Roxie: "You Can Masturbate in the Theater"

Among many other fine compliments, he even endorses fucking fellow ticket-buyer in the place.

(Oh, and this video is plugging the Roxie's current fundraiser (which UA will be helping raise money for at our Holiday Comedy Show on 12/18), which aims to raise $60k to help expand the theater's programming and be even more awesome.)

The Business Celebrates 5 Years of Killer Stand-Up at Cobb's

Hey, look, there's a lot going on Saturday.  There's Game 3 of the World Series, which you'll most certainly be watching.  Then your sorta/kinda friend Jim is hosting that Halloween party in his remarkably poorly-ventilated apartment.

But, let's be honest, you're weren't planning on showing up to the party until 11:30 anyway, and you're probably just going to sit around getting shitty until then.  So why not just drink in a comedy club instead?

Our friends at The Business—most certainly our favorite weekly comedy show in the city—are celebrating five big years showcasing some of the city's (and nation's) best up-and-coming comics.  How?  By taking over Cobb's Saturday night after The Game for one big-ass show.

Sean fills us in:

The Business likes things big. That’s why we are bringing big guests to a big theatre to have a big ol birthday party!!!!! Big!

This show is TOO BIG to hold at our home office at the Dark Room. Come join your Business regulars Alex Koll, Sean Keane, Bucky Sinister, Chris Thayer, Caitlin Gill and Mike Drucker at Cobb's Comedy Club, which should be ALMOST big enough for this show. Chris Garcia can't make it, but will be represented by friend of the Business Kevin Camia.

Plus, our special guests for the night know all about being big. Jamie and Sis DeWolf produce Tourettes Without Regrets, a showcase of the best cutting edge underground talent with the longest running freestyle battle and the largest slam on the West Coast. The fight club of underground art, SF Guardian named Tourettes the “Best in the Bay” in 2012.

Jamie and Sis are both guests we’ve wanted on The Business for some time, but when we heard that their birthdays are just days apart and fast approaching, we knew what had to be done. BIG BIRTHDAY SHOW.

Show is at 8pm sharp, and we'll have you out in time to enjoy any spooky late night plans you might have.

You can get your tickets right now, but if you read to the end of The Business's show preview, they have some secret magic words that can save you some big bucks.

EXOTIC SPECIES SIGHTING: Juggalos on Valencia

The local Juggathological community was abuzz this afternoon following reports of rare exotic Juggalo sightings in downtown San Francisco.  Although their natural habitat includes tents, trailer parks, and wood paneled basements, it is not uncommon for the male Juggalo to wander into more populated areas when methamphetamine supplies run low. Following the scent of Faygo and foraging for joints and titties along the way, the Juggalo, or Ninja as he is sometimes known, may be heard rapping about complex scientific topics such as magnetism or crying out in a series of repetitive wooping sounds. This tiny “gathering” (as a grouping of this species is called) was first spotted outside of Zeitgeist by PD Bird, and later documented marching towards City Hall. Note the sharply contrasting facial markings on both ninjas, and the shiny Hachetman medallion on the specimen on the right. Yes, this is truly a glorious day for Bay Area white trash watchers.

[Photo/warning by Generic]

Improv Comedy Comes to the Mission, SF Improv Scene Upgraded To Alive

Starting this Thursday, the kids over at Endgames Improv are moving to the Mission.

Every week, we've got six opportunities to spend zero to ten dollars and laugh our little heads off. The shows are at Stage Werx Theatre, between 15th and 16th on Valencia. If you've got an itch, they also have some very fine classes starting at the end of the month. I think it's all very hella neat and I'm giddy as hell.

Full disclosure: I like these people and I'm taking classes there and I think they do very fine work that is on the level of NYC or Chicago and I also think you should come out to see these shows. So here's the schedule:

Thursdays:

  • 7:30 ($5) - Harold Night
  • 9:00 ($10) - The Showcase
  • 10:30 ($1) - The Improv Jam

Fridays:

  • 7:30 ($5) - Free Range Fridays
  • 9:00 ($10) - Confessions
  • 10:30 ($0) - F!#&ing Free Fridays

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